Machine for copper coating wire



June 5, 1934 J. L. HERMAN MACHINE FOR COPPERvCOATING WIRE Filed-Sept. 25, 1931 Patented June 5, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,961,148 MACHINE FOR COPPER COATING WIRE Joseph L. Herman, Peoria, Ill., assignor, by mesne assignments, to The National City Bank of Cleveland, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation, and John A. Chapman, Chicago, Ill., trustees Application September 25, 1931, Serial No. 565,049 2 Claims. (CI. 911S) This invention has reference to a new and due to the coils in the bundles adhering to one improved method of coating iron or steel wire another and the bundles cannot be dipped uniwith copper. formly to avoid drippings in and on the bundles The invention has for its principal object to of wire. provide a method for continuously copper coating That the invention may be more ,fully under- 50 iron or steel wire in an elicient manner and by stood reference is had to the accompanying drawan apparatus which is simple in construction ing forming part of this description, illustrating and economical to operate, with the result that a preferred embodiment of the invention, in the finished copper coating is strong, bright and which:- even throughou Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, 65

The method comprehends a saturated solution showing a diagrammatic outline of an apparatus of copper sulphate; an eicient rinse after the by which the method of the present invention coated material leaves the coating solution and may be practiced; I

light draft of the coated material, whereby to Fig. 2 is a detail View of the rinsing means; provide a uniform bright coat in the nished Fig. 3 is a detail of the means for wiping the 70 product. Wire before it enters the copper sulphate solu- Preferably, the steps of the method include tion, and drawing the wire from a coil or bundle which is Fig. 4 is a detail of the die means for giving contained in slightly acidulated aqueous solution a light draft to the wire after the coating has whereby to prevent oxidization of the wire; then been applied. after drying the wire, by passing the same through Like characters of reference denote correa suitable wipe, continuously passing the saine spending parts throughout the gures. I through a saturated solution of copper sulphate, In the Carrying out 0f my method the wire the latter being maintained at 'saturation by the to be copper coated is preferably drawn to Withaddition, from time to time, of crystals of cop in One-half (1/2) gauge of the finished product. so per sulphate; then passing the copper coated wire Such drawing is by the usual method and therethrough a rinse of running water to insure the after the bundles or coils of wire are thoroughly removal of all copper sulphate which has not ad- Cleaned and are preferably deposited in a conhered to the wire; then passing the coated wire tainer or containers filled with an aqueous aciduthrough an aqueous lubricant and nally passlated solution to prevent oxides from forming. S5 ing the lubricated and coatedwire through a die for giving a light draft to the coppered wire iS DTOVCled a tank 0I Container 1 WhCh iS partly t0 insure a uniform and bright C021; 0f the cop- Ol nearly lled With all aqlleOllS acdlllaled S0111- pered coating.

I am familiar with various efforts which have 011 WllCh iS placed a bundle of Wire a and from 90 been made to copper coat iron or steel wire, but Which S Umeeled the Wife b t0 be 00131361' C0313- I am not aware of any which pro-vide for the ed. At the point where the wire b leaves the maximum amount of copper, where a uniform tank 1 there is provided a wipe for drying the and even coat may be applied to the wire wire as it leaves the tank and this wipe includes throughout and where the finished wire has a the preferably Steel bleek 4 provided with a ta- 95 uniform and' bright Coat, Such as can be propered opeinng or hole 5 therethrough, the smaller duced by passing the wire, rst through a satend 0f the hOle being at the Outside, See Fig. 3, urated copper sulphate solution which is mainand within this tapered opening or hole there is tained constant: by the addition from time to packed a suitable waste 6 which is wrapped 'me of crystals of copper sulphate, then after around the wire and as the Wire is drawn through 100 a thorough cleansing by passing the coppered the block this waste will pack within the tapered wire through running water, the coated wire is opening and thoroughly dry the wire as it leaves passed through a lubricant and then reducing the tank 1 and before it enters the copper sulthe gauge of the wire by a light draft, whereby phat@ SOlutiOni to give to the coating a. uniform and bright nn- 7 designates a tank 0f Suitable length, height 105 ish. The most common practice in coppering and width in which is contained a saturated sowire, is to dip the coils of wire vats of copper lution of copper sulphate 8. In order that this sulphate. This method is unsatisfactory since a Solution be fully saturated crystals of copper suluniform and strong coating cannot be obtained, phat@ are added and are always present which nor can a proper polish of the coating be had, will assure a saturated and constant solution,

Two guiding rollers or sheave wheels 9 and 10 are provided at the inlet and exit ends, respectively, of the tank '7 to receive and guide the wire b into, through and from said tank, whereby the wire is immersed in the copper sulphate solution 8. The wire b leaving the tank or container 1 is guided to the tank 7 by a guiding roller or sheave wheel 11. With the arrangement of the rollers or sheave wheels 9 and 10, as shown, there will be a maximum amount of copper coated on the wire and this amount maybe varied by an adjustment of the roller or sheave wheel 9 toward the roller or sheave wheel 10.

12 designates a tank for running water. Water is conveyed to this tank through an inlet pipe 13 connected with a suitable source of supply and with an elbow or coupling 14 from which depends a rinse pipe 15, having its discharge end immedately above the tank 12. The wire b as it leaves the tank 7 passes over a roller or sheave wheel 16 and' thence into and through the water discharged into and passing into and out of the tank 12, being guided in its passage through the water in the tank 12 by a roller or sheave wheel 17 and from the tank 12 the wire b passes up and through the rinse water pouring down through the pipe 15, thence through the coupling 14 and over a roller or sheave wheel 18. Water leaves the tank 12 through a drain pipe 19 and is carried off, so that the wire b will pass through a rinse of clear clean water in the tank 12. This rinse will remove all copper sulphate that has not adhered to the wire. If this were not done and any of the copper sulphate was carried into the lubricant tank,'to be described, it would prove injurious to such lubricant. The lubricant tank -is designated 19 and preferably contains a liquid v soap lubricant. The wire b leaving the roller or sheave wheel 18 is guided through the lubricant by a roller or sheave wheel 20. The wire b on leaving the lubricant tank 19 is guided by a roller or sheave wheel 21 to and through a suitable drawing grease in a housing 22 with which is associated preferably a carboloy die 23, through which the wire passes for a light draft and for polishing the coating and is then wound on a block 24. The movement of the wire is continuous from the tank I to and around the block 24. The resultant wire after being reduced in size, following the copper coating step is strong, uni- ,form and even throughout and bright. The light draft which is given thecoated wire has a tendency to slightly upset the copper coating but use has demonstrated that it is not injurious. I have been practicing the foregoing method and by an apparatus such as disclosed, for a considerable length of time and with never failing success.

I have stated that the showing of the apparatusin Fig. 1 is more or less diagrammatic and I am therefore not concerned with the detailed construction of the various elements constituting the same or their manner or means of support, except of course that the arrangement and relation of the parts shall conform somewhat to the showing and which will provide for a continuous movement of the wire b through a saturated solution of copperv sulphate; an eiicient rinse of the material after coating and a light draft of the wire to polish the same.

What I claim isz- 1. A device for coppering a rinsing tank for cleansing fluid having a drain, a substantially vertical pipe forming a guide for receiving wire therein having open ends the lower of which discharges into the rinsing tank for supplying fluid thereto, a T-coupling having one leg arranged vertically and connected at the lower end of said leg to the upper end of the pipe and having its other leg arranged horizontally, means connected to the horizontal leg of the coupling for supplying fluid to the coupling at a point between its ends, means for guiding the wire into the rinsing tank and for submerging the wire in the rinsing tank prior to the latter entering the pipe and for guiding the wire out of the upper end of the pipe, and means for continuously drawing the wire through the tank and pipe.

2. A device for rinsing coated wire and the like which includes a rinsing tank for containing cleansing fluid, a substantially vertical conduit forming a guide for the wire disposed above the tank and having Iopen ends, the lower of which latter discharges into the tank, means to move the wire through the conduit, and combined means for supporting the conduit and for supplying cleansing fluid to the upper portion thereof, including a tubular member which has one end connected to the conduit at a side of the latter and having unrestricted communication with the conduit interior to supply cleansing fluid thereto.

wire, which includes JOSEPH L. HERMAN. 

